First visit

Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath speaks during a campaign stop in the city on Sunday evening.

By Matt Vis, tbnewswatch.com

THUNDER BAY -- The leader of the Ontario NDP says she has answers to propel Ring of Fire development forward, but that they will come in time.

Andrea Horwath was light on details during her first stop in Northwestern Ontario on the current campaign, instead choosing to point the finger at the Liberals, accusing them of mismanaging the highly-publicized and slow moving project right from the start.

“The approach the Liberals took was wrong from day one,” Horwath said.

“There is no doubt the Liberal government has fumbled the ball significantly when it comes to the Ring of Fire project. What I think is really clear is people can’t trust the Liberals to come up with the solutions when it comes to the Ring of Fire, it’s been six years and nothing much has happened.”

She said the party, which is trailing both the Liberals and Progressive Conservatives in all major polls, will roll out specific announcements as the June 12 election date draws closer. Horwath promised the full platform will have been made public well in advance of when voters mark their ballots.

She said an announcement would be made regarding affordability at a Monday morning campaign stop in the city.

For the most part, Horwath’s remarks to the assembled crowd were focused around taking shots at her opponents, rather than building a platform.

She frequently referred to many scandals that plagued the minority Liberal government, asking how Premier Kathleen Wynne claims she could have been in the dark for so long.

Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak did not get unscathed either, as Horwath slammed his announcement made late last week that he intended to cut 100,000 public sector positions.

Horwath was the first party leader to visit the city since the provincial election writ was officially dropped on Wednesday.

She arrived at around 7:30 p.m. Sunday evening to officially open the campaign office of Thunder Bay-Superior North candidate Andrew Foulds.

Foulds, who is currently serving as ward councillor for Current River, is looking to unseat the long-time Liberal incumbent Michael Gravelle and withstand a challenge from Progressive Conservative candidate Derek Parks.

“It is quite clear that people are ready for change, want change and I am hopeful I can earn people’s votes so I can be there champion in Queen’s Park,” Foulds said.

The overnight campaign stop was not without controversy.

Horwath’s representatives attempted to set up a meet-and-greet with flooded-out Kashechewan First Nation evacuees, airlifted to Thunder Bay where they’re staying at a local south-side hotel.

But upon arrival at the hotel, they were promptly turned away, told by Thunder Bay Fire Rescue chief John Hay the 450 evacuees were not a photo op.

“They were told no,” an irate Hay said after the buses arrived.

A campaign official said they had no intention of filming or taking pictures with the evacuees, though they did invite local media along. Horwath herself did not leave the bus.

A statement issued by the Liberal candidates Gravelle and Bill Mauro prior to Horwath’s stop accuses the leader of putting local jobs at risk with her decision to reject the proposed budget and triggering the election. It stated that she endangered jobs at the Bombardier factory, investment in the Ring of Fire and an increase of the minimum wage.

Neither the Liberals nor Progressive Conservatives have announced dates for visits from Wynne or Hudak.

I totally agree that the GTA is who decides the outcome of the election. This irks me to no end. Right now I don't think that any of the three main parties with their campaign platforms would be good for Northwestern Ontario. Unfortunately if we don't go out and vote then we can't complain about outcome.

I am pretty sure I know where I am voting, but I had to comment on this lady and her party. No surprise that she is here already. That is what happens when you only visit 30 or 40 of the ridings in Ontario. She is not trying to be Premier, she is trying to gain seats. That is the sole reason she called this election.

I hope our media ask her why she does not travel the province and when we can expect her back here, because she will be back here. yet she claims to want to be Premier.

And hopefully she won't be allowed to get away with her lack of any concrete plan. Her minimum wage dance was the best. Wait. Don't make a comment and then when the gov't made a decision say "oh we think it should be higher".

it is either Tim or Kathleen. Tim did himself no favours by his 100,000 jobs cut. You would think he would learn.

Anyhow locally I cannot see the PC's having a chance and the Liberals locally have done a pretty decent job for us.

I know exactly where I am voting (as opposed to "pretty sure"). But in case you are in doubt where you're voting, most of us know. It's been obvious. So drop the "pretty sure" line.

Andrea Horwath is here because she sees a opportunity in Thunder Bay. Let's face it, the Thunder Bay Atitokan riding is up in the air. It always is close. You would think that after a decade of narrow victories, the liberal MPP would be popular enough to easily carry the vote. But the arrogance of the fellow doesn't sit well with many voters. He doesn't return calls.

To be honest, I can't see the difference between the NDP & Liberal policies. They are both left wing, union loving, spend the lights out parties. Neither one of them have any sense of fiscal responsibility. They would both love to bankrupt the province asap. They would both love to hang a "closed for business" sign when it comes the private sector money.

No thanks, I do know where my vote is going. My children & grandchildren will be happy.

So you want your taxes to go up? When will people realize that voting PC is the best answer to the problems. Cutting 100,000 jobs. Ya. Needed! ASAP. But no, you go vote NDP or Liberal and see what you get. Show us how the NDP will help us all and at what price?

Tim may have done himself no favours saying the job cuts would come. But then no parent is held in good books when they tell a child NO, you cannot have the cake before dinner.Same thing Wynne and Horwath want everyone to have the cake before the bills are paid. Tim is going after paying the bills and then offering desert. Unfortunately I agree with you about the PC candidate in the Superior riding. As I said before: Gravelle could be dead and buried 3 years an election is called and people will be shocked that they have to make a decision because his name is not on the ballot.

So what makes sense to you? Increase income taxes and hire more government workers? Or cut some of the government? Right now, people working for the gov. never generate income for the gov. But the private sector really pays for it because they generate wealth and jobs. That money is what makes income for the gov. As a gov. worker, you are paid from taxes even though they do collect some from you. It's just changing pockets. You don't have that from the private sector. So cutting gov. jobs is not a bad thing. Making gov. smaller is not a bad thing. I hope people will think about the election and not just vote against somebody because they don't like them. Vote with your head.

People act like the Liberal budget wasn't aiming to be balanced ever. PC was merely balanced a year earlier at the cost of jobs, services, etc. Cutting jobs during a time you need people paying taxes is ludicrous And more harmful than anything the Liberals are doing.

This will be the last time anyone will see Andrea Horwath in Thunder Bay. The NDP party was not fully prepared for the Election. They have weak candidates in many ridings and had not even elected or nominated in quite a few riding, low on Election warchest funds. NDP Party with a weak Leader, lack of a comprehensive platform and total lack of vision for Ontario, oops I meant southern Ontario. In the end her decesion will cost the Party seats come June, and as Leader of the NDP she will be gone. Riding are sometimes WON by popularity of a strong candidate. Liberals are done time to send Wynne and her Party a strong msg, Hudak another Weak choice as Leader but PC party will win Election, but lets not hope for a majority so what-ever weak policy PC's have can be kept in check.